The New Year's list, which also includes special effects expert Christopher Corbould, who won an Oscar for his work on "Inception," recognizes more women than men for the first time.

Angela Lansbury and DJ Pete Tong are among the high-profile names from the world of entertainment to feature on Queen Elizabeth II's New Year's honors list.

Honors include such titles as knight, dame (Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or DBE), Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Britain's honors lists recognize "people from all walks of life and all sections of society who have made a difference to their community," according to a British government web site. "The British honors system is one of the oldest in the world. It has evolved over 650 years as the country has found alternative means of recognizing merit, gallantry and service."

The New Year's honors list is the first ever to recognize more women than men.

Lansbury, who had previously received a CBE, was awarded a DBE for services to drama and to charitable work and philanthropy on a list of overseas honorees. The 88-year-old actress is known in many countries for her role as protagonist Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote. Her film work has included roles in The Manchurian Candidate and in Blue Hawaii with Elvis Presley.

Tong has been awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting and music. The BBC Radio 1 host, who supervised the soundtracks for such films as The Beach and 24 Hour Party People, said: "It's great to receive this honor for being a DJ. I'm proud that it acknowledges a profession that I care about a great deal and one that's made a huge impact around the world."

He added: "I'd like to thank BBC Radio 1 for its unerring commitment to dance and electronic music and for supporting and encouraging me for over two decades."

Tong relocated to L.A. in September due to such U.S. commitments as his daily All Gone Pete Tong radio show on Evolution, a dance music station on Clear Channel's iHeartRadio digital radio platform, and weekly hour-long syndicated show Evolution With Pete Tong. He also continues to host his weekly BBC Radio 1 show.

Special effects expert Christopher Corbould, who won an Oscar for his work on Inception, also made the honors list with an OBE. He previously also worked as special effects supervisor on Skyfall and The Dark Knight and is currently working on Star Wars: Episode VII.

Among the other media, music and entertainment industry representatives on the latest honors list are actress/writer Ruth Jones, who created BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey, which has been remade in the U.S. for Fox under the title Us & Them, actress Penelope Keith, who starred in 1970s British sitcom The Good Life, actor and singer Michael Crawford, 33-year-old mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins and Kathleen Mary Kinninmont, CEO of Britain's Women in Film and Television.

A medical professional used to media attention also made the honors list as Marcus Setchell, the consultant obstetrician who led the team that delivered Prince George for Kate Middleton and Prince William, was made a knight commander of the Royal Victorian Order, an honor that is the personal gift of the Queen.

Setchell, who delayed his retirement after being asked to oversee the birth of the third in line to the British throne, will now be Sir Marcus.